Pedestal structure



I y 1937- H. J. RUBENSTEIN 2,081,602

PEDESTAL STRUCTURE Filed June 10, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 1937- H. J. RUBENSTEIN 2,081,602

PEDESTAL STRUCTURE Filed June 10, 1935 Z2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7g INVENTOR,

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 25, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to pedestal structures for display devices and has for a primary object the provision of a support in the form of a pedestal which may be collapsed from the operative to the inoperative position through the medium of novel and unique structure which consists primarily of a plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel side members joined by a panel in such fashion as to allow folding or collapsing of the entire pedestal to a form where the said sides and panel assume a fiat condition and are disposed in substantially parallel relation to each other.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a pedestal structure that may be employed in supporting trays or the like for displaying merchandise and which may be folded for storage or shipment to a compact body.

Other objects of this invention will appear during the course of the following specification referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pedestal made to embody this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same illustrating the pedestal in a collapsed condition.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the pedestal shown in Fig. 1 with trays therein.

Fig. 4 is a vertical central section taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective fragmentary view of one form of locking means which may be employed to interconnect the side and panel.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a pedestal structure illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a pedestal structure embodying still a further modification of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing the manner of locking together the side and central panel of the pedestal shown in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is an illustration of another form of the invention, and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detailed perspective view showing the manner of hingedly interconnecting the sides and panel of that form of the pedestal illustrated in Fig. 9.

It is well known in this art that pedestal structures have been made for trays or the like but that the same have been rigidly constructed at the factory so that when they were shipped, the same ran the danger of being crushed and also the danger of requiring a freight rate for shipment which was greater than the cost of the article could support.

It is further understood in this particular art that when constructing pedestals of the character mentioned through the use of bars or wire, the same of necessity had to be braced in several different manners so that the trays or the commodity supported thereon would not distort and bend the parts of the pedestal to a point where it was no longer of value. 10

This invention contemplates a wire pedestal which not only includes the broad objects hereinbefore set down, but minor objects which will later appear.

This invention also contemplates a pedestal which will overcome the short-comings of the ordinary type pedestal, yet will be strong enough and sufliciently braced so that it will hold the load contemplated when it is in the operative position. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the pedestal should include sides l2 which may be identical in structure and which may include upwardly extending portions M which are created for the purpose of supporting a tray or the like [6 illustrated in position in Figs. 3 and 4. These trays might likewise be made of wire and welded together where desired.

In the type of pedestal illustrated, a central vertical rod I8 forms a part of each of the sides and it is to these opposed rods l8 in the spaced apart sides l2 that panel 20 is secured. The manner of securement must be such that a hinge connection such as 22 is created. The form of the hinge connection illustrated in the drawings is merely an eye formed by panel 20 to encompass the vertical rods |8. When the sides and panel l2 and 20 respectively are so interconnected, they may be folded and collapsed to the condition shown in Fig. 2. The panel 20 is of wire and has an opening near the top defined by members 32, rod 36, and rods l8 so that when a tray or the like 24 is placed, it will hang in the opening in a substantially horizontal position so as to be between the sides l2 and intersect the plane of panel 20. 45

The employment of trays l6 and 24 is not essential but when they are used the same serve to hold the parts of the pedestal in the open operative position.

In some instances it is desirable to provide 50 links 26 that interconnect the outer edges of walls I2. These links always remain in parallel relation and are hingedly connected to the walls as at 28. When the pedestal is collapsed, these links assume the position illustrated in Fig. 2.

As an example 01 a manner'of hanging tray 24 reference may be had to Figs. 3 and 4 wherein is illustrated a pair of depending kinks 80, one of which is disposed on each side of member 32 of panel 20. This tray 24 has a pair of hooks 34 which extend over rod 36 and the removal of this tray isaccomplished merely by lifting the same and then moving it outwardly from position within the opening provided in panel 20.

In some instances it may be desired to lock panel 26 and sides l2 against relative displacement after the structure has been opened and this invention contemplates the use of a swingable locking member 38 which is carried by tie bar 40 forming a part of each side l2. When the central panel 20 is in the operative position,

this member 38 having a kink 42 formed therein may be swung down around its pivotal connections 44 to engagement as illustrated in Fig. 5. Thus the panel and sides l2 and 20 cannot be accidentally folded together.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 6, a central panel is inclined with respect to the vertical and this panel 56 is hingedly connected as at 52 and 54 to sides 56. Hinge connections 52 are adjacent the upper rear corner of sides 56 as shown in Fig. 6 and the hinge connections 54 are adjacent the center and near the bottom of sides 56, thus an inclined panel is provided which allows an appreciable amount of space to be left unrestricted between sides 56. When the trays or similar articles are in position on this form of the pedestal, it will be exceptionally rigid and will not necessarily require locking devices such as shown in Fig. 5. However such may be employed.

In Fig. '7 the pedestal is unique in that it may be further disassembled by the user because of the relation between the panel 66 and sides 62. This central panel 66 has turned down portions 64 that are screw-threaded and which pass through eyes 66 formed on sides 62. A nut or the like 68, is in screw-threaded engagement with the down-turned portion 64 and as soon as the sides and panel 62 and 60 assume the position shown in Fig. '7, these several nuts 68 may be tightened so as to lock the parts into set or operative position. Obviously, when these nuts 64 are removed, central panel 60 may be entirely disassembled from sides 62.

Reference to Fig. 9 will indicate that the novel pedestal structure may assume another form yet embody the broad concepts of the invention. In this instance, sides 16 have a central panel 12 hingedly joined thereto as at 14. These hinge connections are similar to those previously described and merely comprise an eye formed on the ends of certain members of the panel I2 which encompass the crossed members of sides 10. These crossed members may be formed as desired and serve to brace the sides in a unique fashion. The placement of the eye at the juncture of these crossed members insures that longitudinal displacement of panel 62 and sides 10 will not take place. In this connection it is contemplated by this invention that the relative positioning of parts of the sides and panels be such that longitudinal relative movement is avoided.

The pedestals illustrated and hereinbefore described are merely exemplifications of the various ways in which this invention may be embodied in a unique device and it is obvious that these pedestals may serve to support any type of tray or flat platform which, the user may desire. The pedestal per se not only requires less material to manufacture, but presents a neat and inexpensive solid article which in practice is beneficial to the manufacturer and dealer. The various parts hereinbefore mentioned may be made up of wire formed and secured together through the medium of spot-welding and while several forms of the pedestal embodying the invention have been illustrated and described, it is desired to be limited in the enjoyment of the invention only by the spirit of the same and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A pedestal structure of the character described comprising substantially parallel, normally vertical, spaced apart wire sides; a wire panel having top and bottom bars and interconnecting wires all in a common vertical plane, interconnecting said sides intermediate the longitudinal edges thereof; and means hingedly joining the edges of the panel to the respective proximal sides adapted to permit collapsing of the pedestal structure to a condition where the said sides and panel are in substantially parallel superimposed relation to each other, said joining means having their axes parallel to the said edges of the sides.

2. A pedestal structure of the character described comprising substantially parallel, spaced apart wire sides; a single wire panel having top and. bottom bars and interconnecting wires all in a common vertical plane, interconnecting the sides between the longitudinal edges thereof means hingedly joining the edges of the panel to the respective proximal sides; and means for locking together the said sides and panel, said joining means having their axes parallel to the longitudinal edges of the sides.

3. A pedestal structure of the character described comprising substantially parallel, spaced apart wire sides; a single wire panel having top and-bottom bars and interconnecting wires all in a common vertical plane, interconnecting the sides between the longitudinal edges thereof; means hingedly joining the edges of the panel to the respective proximal sides; and means for precluding relative longitudinal displacement of sides and panel as the same are moved about the hinge connection during the collapsing operation, said hinge connections having their axes parallel to the longitudinal edges of the sides.

4. A pedestal structure of the character described comprising substantially parallel, spaced apart wire sides; a single wire panel having top and bottom bars and interconnecting wires all in a common vertical plane, interconnecting the sides between the longitudinal edges thereof; means hingedly joining the edges of the panel to the respective proximal sides; means for precluding relative longitudinal displacement oi. sides and panel as the same are moved about the hinge connection during the collapsing operation; and means for locking together the said sides and panel, said hinge connections having their axes parallel to the longitudinal edges of the sides.

5. A pedestal structure of the character described comprising substantially parallel, spaced apart wire sides; a single wire panel interconnecting the sides between the longitudinal edges thereof in spaced relation thereto; means hingedly joining the edges 01. the panel to the respective proximal sides; and a link joining the said sides at the edges thereof, the axes of the hinge joints at each side respectively being on a single line on the medial longitudinal axis of the side.

6. A pedestal structure of the character described comprising a pair of substantially parallel wire sides; a single wire panel joining the sides and holding the same in spaced apart relation; means hingedly joining the edges of the panel to the respective proximal sides; means formed by the sides at the top thereof for supporting a tray or the like; and means formed by the panel for supporting a tray or the like with said last mentioned tray positioned between the said sides and intersecting the plane of said panel.

7. A pedestal structure of the character described comprising spaced-apart wire sides, each having hinge-member parts formed thereby on the medial longitudinal axis thereof; and a single wire panel interconnecting the said sides having hinge-member parts formed thereby in connection with the. aforesaid hinge-member parts of the wire sides, said wire panel and the axes of all of said hinge-member parts being in the same plane to permit the sides and wire panel to fold 10 into parallel superimposed related positions.

HARRY J. RUBENSTEIN. 

